Respawn
by Wickermayne
Summary: Nico di Angelo finds out one of the finer traits of being a son of Hades.
1. Chapter 1

FGC

I was scared out of my mind, you would be to if a scary teacher at your school forced you outside and then some kid with a sword came out to tell you everything would be alright only to be stabbed in the shoulder by something your teacher used. And then you get dragged to the top of a cliff where your teacher starts talking about some stuff about monsters and joining an army and then two girls come to save you only for your teacher to turn into a manticore with giant paws and a deadly spiked tail.

Yeah, you'd be scared too.

"A manticore? He's got three thousand attack points and plus five to saving throws!" What could I say? Mythomagic rocked. Anyway this is where it gets interesting, the blonde girl screamed to get down and tackled my sister, knocking the both of them down. And me? I just stood there. Spikes flew at me.

No I didn't duck. No they didn't miss. No I didn't get special powers and uber pawn him. No.

I died.

**Respawn**

Death is lonely. There is no other word for it. It is not cold or hot, it is not bright or dark, it is not big or small. It is just there. And so are you. By yourself. I don't know how long I waited, a second? A minute? An hour? A year? It doesn't matter really; it felt like an eternity either way. But something happened, my world flashed white.

I was dead.

And then, I wasn't.

This is a line break.

"Get down!" I heard it before my other senses kicked in. Next I smelt the sweat on my skin. Next I tasted the bile that I had to force back down my throat. Next I saw the spikes flying at me. And finally I felt the spikes lodge themselves into me. And I died, once again.

This is a line break.

"Get down!" Even before all my senses came back to me I fell to the ground. There was no way I was going back to that...that place again. The spikes flew over my head and I was still alive. The girl with the black hair and the boy, Percy I think, used shields to block the spikes. The girl charged Mr. Thorn and I thought she would kill him, but then a huge black helicopter appeared in the sky. The helicopter sent a beam of light from its search light onto the girls face blinding her and Mr. Thorn took a clean swipe at her head.

Ever seen someone's head roll of their shoulders? I don't recommend it.

It seemed as though the girl with the black hair was the strongest. Grover, my friend who somehow seemed to be involved with this, stared in utter horror at the girl's head. Spikes flew and slammed into him, I could tell he was died before he hit the ground.

The other girl was crying when the girl with the black hair was killed. Now she screamed as she charged . It was a stupid charge; I don't know what the hell she was thinking, no that's I lie. I know exactly what she was thinking. She wanted to hurt him. But she was run through by Mr. Thorn's tail and tossed aside.

Now Percy looked like he had died himself. I could tell he was about to charge but Mr. Thorn sent a volley of spikes his way he brought up his shield and blocked, but the shield cracked and the spikes flew of his shield. My way. I was kind of glad to die this time. Three people had died for my sake; I wasn't going to let them down next time.

This is a line break.

"Get down!" I dropped to the ground. Spikes flew over my head. Percy and the black haired girl blocked. The girl charged Mr. Thorn. Now, I burst into action. I ran at the girl that was charging Mr. Thorn. My sister screamed at me to stop but I ran. Mr. Thorn's two-toned eyes glanced at me for a second, long enough for the girl to stab him in the arm. Mr. Thorn howled and the now hovering helicopter shot a beam of light at the girl, blinding her. Mr. Thorn swung his good arm but I was there. I did a flying tackle and took the girl out of harm's way. We tumbled on the ground.

"What are you, crazy? You could have been killed!" The girl underneath me pushed me off and started ranting how dangerous that was, but she kept her eyes on Mr. Thorn.

"Well!" I mumbled. "A thank you would be nice." The girl gave me an annoyed glare before putting her eye's back on Mr. Thorn. Percy kept switching glances between Mr. Thorn and the helicopter, and I realized something, we were screwed. I could see the machine gun mounted on the side. If Mr. Thorn didn't get us the helicopter would.

That is we were screwed. Key word being were. Then the air, which was currently only occupied with the beating of the helicopter's blades, was ripped apart by a hunting horn. Everyone froze even Mr. Thorn.

Mr. Thorn's face was pale, "No, it cannot be-"

His sentence was cut short as a silvery light flew through the air and lodged it's self in Mr. Thorn's good arm. It was an arrow. Mr. Thorn wailed in agony as he took a step backward.

"Curse you!" Mr. Thorn unleashed a wave of spikes from his tail into the woods where the arrow had come from, but just as fast, silvery arrows shot back in reply. The arrows sliced the spikes in half. Now I don't know much about archery but the archers must have godlike accuracy to do that.

Percy lunged at Mr. Thorn but he used the spikes on his tail to block Percy's sword, then Mr. Thorn kicked Percy in the stomach sending the teen flying back.

Then a bunch of girls came out of the woods. There were about a dozen of them, ranging from ten to about fourteen. They wore silvery ski parkas and jeans; they all had bows. They advanced on Mr. Thorn with a determined expression on all of their faces.

"The Hunters!" The girl with blonde hair cried out.

"Oh wonderful." The other one mumbled.

One of the older archers stepped up. Now I don't really like girls but even I had to admit she was pretty. Her skin was a coppery colour and her midnight black hair had a silver circlet topped on it. She looked like some sort of princess.

"Permission to kill, my lady?"

A bloodthirsty princess.

"This is not fair! Direct interference! It is against the Ancient Laws!" Man, Mr. Thorn was such a whiner.

"Not so," the girl who answered was about twelve, maybe thirteen. She had auburn hair pulled back into a ponytail. She had eyes like the moon, silver yellow. If the other girl was pretty this one was mind-blowingly beautiful, but her expression was deadly and, I admit, scared me. "The hunting of all wild beasts is within my sphere. And you, foul creature, are a wild beast." She looked at the older girl with the circlet. "Zoe, permission granted."

Mr. Thorn growled "If I cannot have these alive, I shall have them dead." Ironic considering he killed me thrice when he was trying to keep me alive. He pounced at Percy using his tail to smack Percy's sword away from the teen. I hesitated, I wanted to help Percy, but there was no way I could take on Mr. Thorn. Fortunately for me the blonde girl took action jumping onto Mr. Thorn and slamming her knife into his back. Unfortunately that meant the archers could not fire their arrows properly. A few were able to get clear shots, hitting Mr. Thorn in the neck and chest.

"This is not the end, Huntress. You shall pay!" Mr. Thorn, with the girl still on his back, jumped of the cliff and tumbled into the darkness.

"Annabeth!" Percy yelled getting ready to jump of the cliff.

"No!" I shouted and held him back. I didn't have to because the helicopter started raining bullets on us. Percy pushed out of the way and leaped back, bullets peppering the area we were just in. The young girl with auburn hair thrusted her hand and the helicopter exploded into... ravens? Yes the black metal dissolved into metal and flew away in the night sky.

The hunters advanced on us, the one named Zoe stopped in front of the girl with black hair.

"You." Who knew you could put so much meaning into one word?

"Zoe Nightshade." The girl answered with anger. "Perfect timing, as usual."

Zoe scanned the rest of us. "Four half-bloods and a satyr, my lady."

"Yes, some of Chiron's campers, I see."

"Annabeth!" Percy yelled. "You have to let us save her!"

The girl with auburn hair turned to him. "I'm sorry, Percy Jackson, but your friend is beyond help."

While they argued my sister came up to me and crushed me in a hug. "You idiot! What were you doing? You could have been killed!" I smiled wearily; she'd never know the irony of those words.

That's right I didn't plan on telling anyone about me, coming back to life, kinda like a respawn in a video game, now that I think about.

Anyway our attention was caught by the young, auburn haired girl again when she said the most ludicrous statement I have ever heard, although considering that I had just respawned three times, it wasn't that crazy.

"I am Artemis, Goddess of the Hunt."

FGC

So, the first chapter of **Respawn**. What can I say? I've been reading too much Percy Jackson and playing too much Modern Warfare. Anyway I hope you enjoyed and continue to read. See ya at the next chapter.


	2. Chapter 2

Man did I make a lot of mistakes in the first chapter. I should double check my chapters from now on.

I was asked if this is a rewrite of The Titan's Curse, it is not. Eventually it will pass even The Last Olympian if I'm dedicated to this story. Just to let you know.

FGC

"Woah, hold up. Time out." My sister said. She pointed at Grover, his friends, Zoe, and Artemis one by one. "Who... who are you people?"

"It might be a better question, my dear girl, to ask who are you? Who are your parents?"

My sister glanced nervously at me before she answered, "Our parents are dead. We're orphans. There is a bank trust that pays for our school, but... What? I'm telling the truth." The others gave her a weird look.

"You are a half-blood. One of thy parents was a mortal. The other was an Olympian." Zoe, I noticed, had a weird accent. She talked like she was in the medieval times or something.

"An Olympian... athlete?" My sister asked.

"No, one of the gods." My mind went a mile a minute. My teacher really was a manticore, the girl in front of me was a god. A Greek god. I had died three times but I came back to life each time. Hades controlled the Underworld. Hades was the god of the dead. Hades was my father. I was sure of it.

"No way, there is no such thing as gods!"

"Bianca, I know it's hard to believe. But the gods are still around. Trust me. They're immortal. And whenever they have kids with regular humans, kids like us, well... our lives are dangerous." The girl with black hair told my sister.

"Dangerous, like the girl who fell." Even I winced at that one.

"Do not despair for Annabeth," the goddess said. "She was a brave maiden. If she can be found, I shall find her."

"Then why won't you let us look for her?" Percy asked.

"She is gone. Can't you sense it, Son of Poseidon? Some magic is at work. I do not know exactly how or why, but your friend has vanished." So Percy's father was Poseidon, did that mean he could control water? That'd be pretty cool.

"So what happened to ? Is he dead?" I asked.

"He was a manticore," Artemis answered. "Hopefully he is destroyed for now, but monsters never truly die. They re-form over and over again, and they must be hunted whenever they appear."

My heart skipped a beat. Was I like a monster? Did I come back after I died like them?

"Why do they come back?"

"For they have no souls." Did I not have a soul? That would suck. But she said the came back and they were hunted again. But when I died I came back right before I died. I was different from the monsters. I needed to find out how different I was. For all I know I could have a stock of lives, and when they finish I'm done forever.

"That explains...Nico, you remember last summer, those guys who tried to attack us in the alley in D.C.?

"I knew that bus driver had horns!" I stared at my sister with a 'I-told-you-so' look.

"That's why Grover has been watching you," Percy said. "To keep you safe, if you turned out to be half-bloods."

I stared at Grover, I never thought of him being a half-blood, he was scrawny and didn't seem like someone who would fight.

"Grover? You're a demigod?" My sister asked.

"Well a satyr, actually." He kicked off his shoes and displaced his goat hooves. My sister looked like she was going to faint.

"Cool." I said. Grover grinned at me.

"Grover, put your shoes back on. You're freaking her out."

"My hooves are clean!" Grover protested.

"Bianca, we came here to help you. You and Nico need training to survive. Dr. Thorn won't be the last monster you meet. You need to come to camp." Percy told us.

"Camp?" My sister asked.

"Camp half-blood." Percy said. "It's where half-bloods learn to survive and stuff. You can join us, stay there year-round if you like."

"Sweet, let's go." I said, there was no way I was gonna go around getting killed anymore!

"Wait." My sister started. "I' don't-"

"There is another option," Zoe said.

"No, there isn't!" The girl with black hair stated, but I what Zoe said piqued my curiosity.

"Really? What's the other option?" Zoe, Artemis and the black haired girl stared at me.

"It's of no concern to you." Zoe said, glaring at me. Geez what was her problem.

"Then why'd you say there was another option?"

"There is no other option for you, only for your sister."

"Why?" I was kind of angry now, was she trying to divide my sister and me? Before Zoe could answer, Artemis interrupted.

"We've burdened these children long enough. Zoe, we will rest here for a few hours. Raise the tents. Treat the wounded. Retrieve our guests' belongings from the school."

"Yes, my lady." Zoe said as she bowed her head.

"And, Bianca, come with me. I would like to speak with you."

"What about me?" I asked. Artemis' eyes appraised me for a second before she answered.

"Perhaps you can show Grover how to play that card game you enjoy. I'm sure Grover would be happy to entertain you for a while...as a favour to me?"

As Grover scrambled to get up I hesitated. Had I not died before I would have easily followed Grover but I realised something.

I should be dead. That was the simple fact. I shouldn't be here, but I was. It would be stupid to waste my chances, it would be for the best if I knew what was going on and survive as long as I can. The world was dangerous, and I just realised that now.

"I think," I said staring directly at Artemis. "I should also know what you want to tell my sister." Now Artemis looked directly at me as she countered.

"What I am about to tell your sister concerns her and her only." Her yellow silver orbs pierced me and I knew I should just drop it.

Grover put his hand on my shoulder and urged me away from the goddess. "Come on Nico, let's go." And with that Artemis dragged my sister away and I left with Grover half-heartedly talking to him about Mythomagic.

=0=0=0=0=0=

As Grover and I walked back to the camp area there was a big difference. Seven large tents, that were silver in colour, curved around the bonfire in a crescent shape. Wolves circled the camp like guard dogs and the girl with black hair weave through the wolves. She was pretty hardcore.

Grover and I walked up to Percy and Grover started to treat his wound.

"It's green!" I said in awe. Grover gave Percy something to eat as he treated the wound. A girl, about ten or eleven, came up to me and dropped a bag at my feet. I thanked her but she had already left. I opened the sac, there wasn't much. A couple of tee-shirts, a pair of pants, my favourite aviator jacket and my collection of Mythomagic figures and cards. My hand stopped at the jacket. This was really important to me but I could never remember why. Sometimes I got images of a fight or something but I never truly remember what it was... I took out the jacket and put it on. It warmed me up in the cold weather.

I pulled out my Mythomagic statue collection and placed them in order of power.

"Big collection." Percy said as his glanced over my statues.

I grinned. "I've got almost all of them, plus their holographic cards. Well, except for a few really rare ones."

"You've been playing this game a long time?"

"Just this year. Before that..." I frowned. This was the same problem I had with my jacket. I couldn't remember what I did last year. Why couldn't I remember? Whatever, it'd come to me latter.

"What?" Percy asked.

"I-I forget." I admitted at him, my eyes fell on his pen. "Hey, can I see that sword you were using?" He pulled it out and showed me how it became a sword when he uncapped it. "Cool! Does it ever run out of ink?" What? It was a valid question. But Percy stared at me as if I was crazy.

"Um, well, I don't really write with it." He put his pen away.

"So," I started. "You're really Poseidon's son?"

"Well, yeah."

"Can you surf really well then?" I always wanted to go surfing. But once again he stared at me as if I was crazy.

"Jeez, Nico, I've never really tried."

"Oh." I looked at the girl with black hair, the one that said 'For Zeus.' I pointed at her. "So she's Zeus' daughter?"

"Uh, yeah. How'd you know." He looked at me surprised.

"Well she did scream 'For Zeus!' in the middle of a fight. You get into fights with her often?" Percy looked away and didn't open his mouth. I took the hint and asked another question.

"So the girl who fell of the cliff, who was her parent?"

"Annabeth's mother was Athena." I perked up.

"Athena? As in the goddess of wisdom?"

"Yup."

"If she's Athena's daughter. Then shouldn't she be smart enough to know not to jump off a cliff." I asked this being totally curious. But at the expression on his face I felt really bad. It was an expression of true pain. "Uh, was Annabeth your girlfriend?" His new expression was murderous and I shut my mouth.

Zoe Nightshade walked up to us and told Percy that Artemis wanted to talk to him.

"What about me!" I asked indignantly. How come Percy gets to talk to Artemis and not me? That was my sister with her! Zoe turned her eyes on me and they irked me. She looked at me as if I was worse than dirt.

"My lady has nothing to talk with thee about." With that she turned her back on me and walked away, Percy following her uncertainly.

"Well she was mean, so unlike Artemis..." Grover sighed dreamily and his eyes got cloudy. I stared at the sky and sighed myself. I wasn't a kid, why was I always left in the dark?

=0=0=0=0=0=

After my sister came out of Artemis' tent I ran up to her.

"So what did she talk to you about?" My sister looked different, I noticed. She looked more... confident, stronger. It was weird.

"Nico, I decided to join the hunters." She looked guilty for some reason. I just smiled.

"Well, I kinda wanted to go with Percy and stay at the camp but if we're-" My sister cut me off knowing exactly what I was thinking.

"Nico look at the hunters." I blinked at the odd request but complied. "What do you see?"

"What do you mean? I see twelve girls..." It hit me like one of Mr. Thorn's spikes. It couldn't be, she wouldn't just leave me. I stared at her, my eyes wide. She stared at the ground.

"I'm sorry Nico, but I need this." She didn't look at me.

"Why? Why! Why can't I join? She's a goddess, she can't be sexist!" I started to scream. "And even if she is you can't just abandon me, you're my sister! You're supposed to protect me not run off with a bunch of girls and leave me with strangers!"

"Nico, please, this is hard enough as it is. I don't want to leave you but to join the hunters I must." She looked at my face but wouldn't look directly into my eyes. I wanted to scream at her some more but I was out of steam.

"Whatever. I hope you die." The words fell out of my mouth unnaturally, but I ignored that, I was angry. I turned my back on her and walked toward Percy and Grover. I never got to see the hurt in her eyes.

As I walked away, it never occurred to me what being the Son of Hades meant.

But, damn the gods, I found out.

FGC


End file.
